Apple iPhone ‘hacking’ websites found by Google also affected Android and Windows devices

The report added that the attack was updated over time for extracting information from devices running different operating systems. This was said to be done as the tech usage of the Uighur community changed.

TIMESOFINDIA.COM

September 02, 2019, 19:30 IST

NEW DELHI: Earlier this year Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) discovered that a bunch of websites ‘hacked’ iPhones when visited using the Safari browser. This was revealed publicly a few days ago. Now, it has been reported that those websites also attacked Google’s Android OS and MicrosoftWindows devices as well. This attack is said to be a part of the campaign to spy on the Uighur ethnic group in China, states Forbes.

The report added that the attack was updated over time for extracting information from devices running different operating systems. This was said to be done as the tech usage of the Uighur community changed. It remains a question if Google already knew about it from the beginning or not. All three tech giants - Apple, Google and Microsoft have not yet commented on this matter.

It has not been mentioned what exactly were the exploits were with Android and Windows devices though. Citing a ‘source’ the report adds that Google researchers told about malicious websites to Apple back in February before revealing the issue late last month. However, they have not yet revealed which Uighur-interest websites were used to affect the iPhones.

It has been mentioned that in case of iOS, the malicious websites placed malware on the iPhones that could extract a lot of private data from encrypted WhatsApp messages, iMessage and Telegram texts. It could also take information on the user’s live location.

It has been said that this attack might be backed by the Chinese government to spy on the ethnic group and its sympathisers. The country is already tracking the group using surveillance cameras across the Xinjiang region where the group resides. The country is also using facial recognition tech in such areas. It might also be a possibility that people outside the Uighur group were affected by this attack.

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